New York City Charges Ahead with 50 Chevrolet Volts
Police cars for traffic enforcement among purchase of extended-range electric vehicles
The City of New York is adding 50 Chevrolet Volts to its fleet as part of an effort to reduce air pollution, carbon emissions and gasoline consumption. New York Mayor Bloomberg announced the addition of the Volts along with other electric vehicles at a press conference Tuesday in Woodside Queens, New York.
The Volt will be the first electric car used by the New York City Police Department, which also uses electric scooters and golf cars. The Volts represent the majority of 70 new electric vehicles joining the city fleet, which now has 430 electric vehicles.
"This is the latest and largest-ever addition of electric vehicles to the City’s fleet, which is already the largest municipal clean-air vehicle fleet in the nation,” Bloomberg said in a press statement. “We will continue to lead by example, but we also must provide New Yorkers with tools to make environmentally friendly choices in their own lives.
“When provided with the facts, people become far more likely to choose an electric vehicle. Our job is to ensure the public has the facts, ensure they can make their own decisions and ensure that if they want to drive an electric vehicle, we are providing the infrastructure needed. It’s all part of our PlaNYC agenda to create a greener, greater New York City.”
For the first 35 miles, the Volt can drive gas- and tailpipe emissions-free using a full charge of electricity stored in its 16-kWh lithium-ion battery. When the Volt’s battery runs low, a gas-powered engine/generator seamlessly operates to extend the driving range another 344 miles on a full tank for a total driving range of 379 miles.
